house.

On a certain day early in August Lord George had gone with a return
ticket to a town but a few miles distant from Brotherton to sit on a
committee for the distribution of coals and blankets, and in the
afternoon got into a railway carriage on his way home. How great was
his consternation when, on taking his seat, he found that his brother
was seated alongside of him! There was one other old gentleman in the
carriage, and the three passengers were all facing the engine. On two
of the seats opposite were spread out the Marquis's travelling
paraphernalia,--his French novel, at which he had not looked, his
dressing bag, the box in which his luncheon had been packed, and his
wine flask. There was a small basket of strawberries, should he be
inclined to eat fruit, and an early peach out of a hothouse, with some
flowers. "God Almighty, George;--is that you?" he said. "Where the
devil have you been?"

"I've been to Grumby."

"And what are the people doing at Grumby?"

"Much the same as usual. It was the coal and blanket account."

"Oh!--the coal and blanket account! I hope you liked it." Then he
folded himself afresh in his cloaks, ate a strawberry, and looked as
though he had taken sufficient notice of his brother.

But the matter was very important to Lord George. Nothing ever seemed
to be of importance to the Marquis. It might be very probable that the
Marquis, with half-a-dozen servants behind him, should drive up to the
door at Manor Cross without having given an hour's notice of his
intention. It seemed to be too probable to Lord George that such would
be the case now. For what other reason could he be there? And then
there was his back. Though they had quarrelled he was bound to ask
after his brother's back. When last they two had met, the Marquis had
been almost carried into the room by two men. "I hope you find yourself
better than when I last saw you," he said, after a pause of five
minutes.

"I've not much to boast of. I can just travel, and that's all."

"And how is--Popenjoy?"

"Upon my word I can't tell you. He has never seemed to be very well
when I've seen him."

"I hope the accounts have been better," said Lord George, with
solicitude.

"Coal and blanket accounts!" suggested the Marquis. And then the
conversation was again brought to an end for five minutes.

But it was essential that Lord George should know whither his brother
was going. If to Manor Cross, then, thought Lord George, he